Hanging by a Thread
by Gwil
Summary: Sam's still dealing with the events from Threads. SJ comfort piece. Now complete.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Hanging by a Thread

Warnings: SPOILERS for "Threads", slight mention of Pete

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Not mine, just doing this for the pure fun of it.

_A/N: Special thanks to Lingren for your input and kindness!_

_This is basically a post-Threads comfort piece. I originally meant it to be a short, one-part story but it just seems to keep getting longer. And since I seem to be having a bit of trouble getting the last part done, I thought I'd post this first part in the hope that doing so will motivate me to finish the darn thing. The rating is just to be safe language-wise._

_Oh, and this is my first SG-1 fic ever. (Translation: I'm nervous). If you like it, please let me know... you'll make my day. Heck, probably even my week! Okay, I'll shut up now so you can read the story...

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Hanging by a Thread -- Chapter 1

This was a bad day.

At least, that was Samantha Carter's opinion of it.

Okay, so she'd had a lot of bad days in the past couple of weeks, but this one was _really _bad. And her assessment had nothing to do with the fact that she was standing completely alone in the middle of a park as rain poured down on her in cold, drenching sheets. Actually, the rain had nothing to do with it at all.

Lately, the quality of Sam's days depended very little on the weather or traffic or even on whether or not she was getting shot at by aliens. No, these days Sam based her assessments on how well she was able to keep herself from falling to pieces.

Some days weren't so bad. On those days, Sam was able to focus on her work with relative ease, to distract herself from any upsetting thoughts and emotions. Other days, she struggled. Those were the days when she had to very consciously get herself through each hour, forcing herself to remain occupied at all times. Too occupied to think about anything but the task at hand.

And then, of course, there was today. The Bad Day. The Really Bad Day.

Today Sam had struggled extra hard and many times she'd very nearly lost the battle with her emotions. At work she had avoided General O'Neill, Daniel, and Teal'c for fear that her friends would see through the tenuous mask she was so carefully trying to keep in place on her face. The last thing she wanted was to break down right in the middle of the hallways of the SGC.

Once she'd arrived home, Sam thought things would be easier. She thought she'd be able to relax.

She thought wrong.

She hadn't been home long before her house started to feel painfully empty and hollow. It wasn't much later when she'd grabbed her jacket and fled her house for the outdoors. A walk. A nice, long walk would help to clear her head and ease the tense knot of suppressed emotion that was nearly suffocating her. Sam was quite sure that's what she needed.

Wrong again.

She'd walked for nearly an hour before she realized that it wasn't working, before she realized that the aching hollow feeling that she'd been trying to escape from was actually within her. And it was only then, just as the skies opened up and the rain began pouring down upon her, that Sam realized what it was that she really needed.

Now, although more enlightened than before, Sam was cold, soaked, and a long way from home. She pulled her jacket more closely around herself and took refuge under the sheltering branches of a large fir tree. Her eyes stung with the threat of tears and she was finding it difficult to breathe.

Suddenly feeling desperate, Sam reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. She held it in her hand for a long moment, staring at it. She wanted to call him. God, how she wanted to call him. But what would she even say if she did? Losing her nerve, Sam shoved the phone back into her jacket pocket.

And that's when it rang.

Pulling it out again, she looked at the display. It was him.

She felt a funny lurch in her heart. Swallowing, she put the phone to her ear and answered the call.

"Carter." She was relieved when her voice came out sounding relatively normal.

"Hey, you busy?" Jack's voice sounded in her ear.

"Ah... not really, no." _Unless you call trying to keep myself from falling apart busy. _It _was_ taking a lot of effort, now that she thought about it.

"Perfect. Teal'c and I are at Danny's place, just getting ready to order some Chinese. Care to join us?"

Sam closed her eyes briefly. "That sounds nice, sir."

She could practically hear the ellipses hanging off the end of her sentence, and obviously so could Jack.

"But...?"

"But I don't think I'll be able to make it."

"Ah." Jack paused on the other end. "Because you're busy being... not busy?"

Sam took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, not wanting the emotions that were threatening to wash over her to creep into her voice. But her silence was sending its own messages.

"Carter, is everything all right?" He was getting concerned.

"Everything's fine, sir."

_Liar. You're about to come apart at the seams_. Sam gritted her teeth. _**Shut up**_.

"Are you sure?" He wasn't buying it.

She took another deep breath. "I'll be okay, sir."

_Damn_.

He caught on to her wording right away. "Future tense. I'm no linguist but I take that to mean you're not okay right at this moment?"

Sam sighed. She'd have to tell him something. "It's just... my dad..." She stopped, closing her eyes tightly and fighting for control. She really didn't want to start sobbing over the phone. Luckily, she didn't need to say anything more.

"Where are you?" His voice had a taking-charge tone to it now, and it helped to steady her.

"Shaughnessy Park."

"Outside?"

A hint of a smile touched her lips. "Well, yes..."

"Carter, it's pissing rain out there!"

Despite the cover of the fir tree, several determined raindrops were still managing to find her and were running down her face and the back of her neck in cold, snaking trails. "I've noticed."

"I'm coming over there."

Sam opened her mouth to protest, but then closed it again. Who was she kidding? She wanted him to come. Hell, she _needed_ him to. "All right," she agreed quietly.

"And wait for me in your car, would you? You'll drown out there in this weather."

Uh oh. He wasn't going to like this next bit. "Um, actually, I walked here."

"Oh, for crying out loud!"

Sam winced slightly. Then she heard Jack give an exasperated sigh.

"Okay, just stay put. I'll be there soon."

And then he was gone. And Sam was staring at the phone in her hand again.

_He's coming_.

She stuffed her hands into her pockets and huddled under the fir tree, shivering. The tears were still there, just behind her eyes, and her emotions were still threatening to crash over her in a suffocating wave. She closed her eyes.

_Please hurry_.

OoOoOoOoOoO

By the time Jack disconnected from his call with Sam, he was already grabbing his jacket and heading for the door.

"What's going on, Jack?" Daniel asked, watching him from the couch.

"Is Major Carter in need of assistance?" Teal'c inquired.

Jack fished for his keys in his jacket pocket. "Ah, I guess you could say that." Keys now in hand, he opened the door. "I'm going to get her."

"Jack!" Daniel's voice stopped him as he was halfway out the door. He looked back at his two concerned friends.

"Just hold off on ordering the food for bit. I'll call you."

And without offering any further information, he was out the door, leaving Daniel baffled and Teal'c with one eyebrow raised in mild surprise.

OoOoOoOoOoO

The rain pelted against the windshield as Jack navigated his way through the streets, pushing the speed limit and cursing any and all delays. He was worried. Sam hadn't sounded like herself. She'd sounded... fragile.

The truth was, this hadn't come out of the blue. That note of fragility, of sorrowful pain, that he'd just heard in her voice was the same as what Jack had seen in her eyes a number of times since Jacob and Selmak's deaths. It wasn't there all the time, not even all that often. But there had been moments every now and then when it had shown clearly. Perhaps just a flicker at the end of a long day on the base, or a momentary glimpse in the midst of a briefing, but it had been there.

Every time Jack saw that fleeting look in Sam's eyes, his heart ached for her. Every time, he wanted to do something to comfort her, to take her in his arms and hold her, but he never did. Not since those last moments before Jacob passed away.

Every time he felt that ache, something stopped him from reaching out to her the way he so desperately wanted to. One of those things being the fact that she was probably getting all the comforting she needed from Pete.

Even now, the thought made Jack cringe inwardly. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel as he made a right turn.

Yes, she'd confessed to Jack that she was having second thoughts about the wedding that day when she'd shown up in his backyard. When she'd come to tell him... what? What he'd been wanting to hear for so long? But of course it couldn't be as simple as that. Of course not. And now Jack didn't know where she stood. Hell, _she _might not even know, what with the state she must be in after losing her father.

Jack stopped at a traffic light and waited impatiently for it to turn green. His fingers drummed the steering wheel as the windshield wipers swished furiously back and forth against the torrents of rain.

As soon as she'd told him she was having second thoughts about marrying Pete, Jack had felt something -- a sudden, warm welling of hope in his heart. Thinking about it made him feel a bit guilty. There she was trying to tell him that she didn't feel right about marrying this guy and he was feeling happy about it. Well, not happy, but there'd definitely been something.

Jack stepped on the gas as the light changed. He was getting close.

No matter what, though, Jack hated knowing she was in distress and this time he wasn't going to let anything stop him from reaching out to her. After all, he'd promised her that he would always be there for her and, damn it, he was going to be.

Finally arriving at his destination, Jack pulled up to the curb and parked his truck. Peering out the window, he could just make out Sam's form in the distance, huddled under the protective branches of a large fir tree. No one else was in sight. It wasn't exactly the best weather for a walk in the park.

Pocketing his keys, Jack left the dry interior of his truck for the pouring rain. With water already running in rivulets down his face and jacket, he pushed the truck door shut and set off at a squelching jog toward Sam.

TBC…


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Wow! Thanks so much to every single one of you who reviewed chapter one! I didn't expect such a great response! I'm dead chuffed! Please keep the reviews coming, they're addictive!_

_I will try my best to make this next TBC a TBC as in **soon**... as in before the weekend is over. ;-) Part three will be the last part._

_Oh, and just to clarify... this isn't my first **fanfic** ever, but it is my first **SG-1 fanfic **ever, and the first non-original, non-script format piece I've written in at least a couple of years. Hope you enjoy this next chapter!_

_Once again, special thanks to Lingren!_

_Still spoilers for Threads. Beware. Here we go…

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_Previously…_

_Pocketing his keys, Jack left the dry interior of his truck for the pouring rain. With water already running in rivulets down his face and jacket, he pushed the truck door shut and set off at a squelching jog toward Sam.

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Chapter 2

Sam didn't think she could hold on much longer. She wasn't sure what was going to happen, but she knew she was losing control. It was as if there was a gaping, dark hole hovering on the edge of her existence, just waiting to suck her up into its endless realm of grief and sorrow. She could almost feel it, like icy fingers reaching out toward her, far colder than the falling rain and much, much more frightening.

Sam balled her hands into fists in her jacket pockets and closed her eyes tightly, forcing herself to take several slow, deep breaths. She couldn't give in. Not yet. If she let go here, all on her own ... well, she didn't think she could handle it. God, right now, more than any time in her life, she really needed him. She really didn't think she could hang on much longer.

She opened her eyes then, and relief blossomed within her as she saw that her wait was over. There he was, jogging across the soggy field, his head ducked against the driving rain. The sight of him making his way toward her gave Sam a glimmer of hope amidst her despair. Maybe it was crazy, but Sam felt like he was coming to rescue her. To save her from drowning just before she slipped beneath the surface and succumbed to the suffocating and crushing darkness of her emotional pain.

She swallowed back a large lump in her throat, and then he was there, ducking beneath the tree's branches to escape the worst of the rain and coming to stand before her.

Jack said nothing at first, just took in the sight of her, his eyes searching her face as if trying to assess the situation, to get a read on what was going on. Sam found she couldn't speak. She just waited silently, so grateful for his mere presence, and willing her tears to stay in her eyes.

A moment passed, and then Jack spoke. "Sam..."

The use of her first name and the tenderness in his voice nearly broke her right then and there, but somehow she managed not to crack.

"What's going on?" he asked gently. "You're a long way from home."

Sam ran a hand across her forehead, wiping away a trickle of rainwater that was making a direct path for her right eye. "I thought a walk would help to clear my head."

"And did it?"

She dropped her hand back to her side. "No."

Another rivulet of water began working its way down her forehead to her eye again. This time, however, it was Jack who raised a hand and wiped it away gently with his thumb. Even with that simple touch, Sam felt her breath catch in her throat. Any physical contact with this man always seemed to have such a powerful effect on her and when his hands came to rest on her shoulders a moment later, she felt a warm and tingling sensation spread down her arms and into her very core.

His thumbs began to move in soothing circles on her shoulders as he looked into her eyes. "You've been thinking about your dad?" he ventured.

Sam swallowed and nodded. "My dad... and Pete."

Jack's thumbs stopped in mid-caress and his brow furrowed slightly. Sam suddenly felt a flicker of nervousness.

"Pete?" He was obviously a bit puzzled.

Sam took in a deep, shaky breath. _Here goes nothing._ "I called off the wedding." _There. _She felt Jack's hands stiffen slightly on her shoulders. She wanted to look up into his eyes, to read his reaction, but she found that she couldn't. Instead, she looked out at the grey, pouring rain without really seeing it. After a moment, she turned back, but she still avoided his gaze as she spoke her next words quickly. "I hated hurting him like that, but I couldn't go through with it. It wasn't right."

Jack's fingers relaxed around her shoulders once more. This time she looked up and met his eyes. Those warm, dark eyes. God, they were beautiful, and at that moment they were looking at her in a way that made her aching heart swell.

Jack didn't say anything, and Sam knew it was probably because he had no idea what to say. She didn't mind, though. He was there with her, and that was all the mattered to her at the moment.

She pulled her eyes away from his and bowed her head, her grief still weighing heavily upon her. "But mostly it's my dad. I miss him so much. It's just so hard knowing he's never going to step through the gate again, knowing he's never..."

She couldn't continue. She couldn't hold in her despair any longer. She swallowed hard, trying to control her emotions, but the tears were already running warmly down her already-wet cheeks. She closed her eyes, feeling as though she were unraveling uncontrollably.

She felt Jack move closer and heard his whispered "c'mere," and then she was in his arms. His embrace enveloped her in warmth and safety and she wrapped her own arms around him, holding onto him desperately as she cried into his shoulder.

Time slipped away as Sam finally let go of all the pain locked inside of her. There, with Jack's arms around her, she knew that it was finally okay to come undone. She knew that she wasn't alone.

OoOoOoOoOoO

As the tears began to flow from Sam's eyes, Jack felt an aching pain deep within his chest. Without hesitation, he closed the distance between them and gently pulled her to him, holding her close.

"I'm here, Sam," he spoke softly into her ear. "I've got you."

Her body shook with her sobs, and his heart broke over and over again for her as she let her emotions pour out of her. He wanted so badly to help her, to take away her pain, but he didn't know what else he could do. He just hoped this was enough.

After several minutes, her crying began to slow and eventually it stopped, and she became still in his arms. He continued to hold her, aware of nothing else in the universe but her. Even the cold rain around them had faded from his awareness. There was just him and Sam. Nothing else mattered.

He placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head and felt her sigh into his shoulder. Then she pulled back slightly, just enough so she could look up into his face. Her blue eyes were red-rimmed and still shiny with tears, but she seemed calmer now.

"Thank you, sir... Jack." She dropped her eyes. "I really appreciate you coming out here for me."

Jack moved his hands to rest on her shoulders again. "Sam, I said I'd always be here for you, and I meant it."

"I know."

She lifted her head and their eyes met, and the sudden intensity that came with the connection made Jack feel momentarily breathless. He let his hands slide off her shoulders and down her arms to clasp both of her hands in his. He was startled to feel just how icy cold they were against his skin. "You're freezing!"

Sam gave him a shy smile. "Yeah, a little."

"More than a little," Jack corrected. "You'd think we were back in Antarctica, for crying out loud."

Sam's smile widened, and this time it showed in her eyes.

Jack couldn't help but smile back in response. Still holding her hands, he nodded in the direction of his truck. "Come on, let's get you out of this rain."

Sam nodded in agreement so Jack slipped a protective arm around her shoulders and together they braved the full onslaught of the drenching rain, heading straight for Jack's truck.

TBC…


	3. Chapter 3

_Hugs to everyone who has reviewed this story. You guys are awesome!_

_Thanks to Lingren for giving my muse some direction for this last chapter._

_Yes, this is the final chapter. I'm kind of sad it's over already... it's been fun. But I am thinking of writing another story... maybe one with a bit of plot. Or something resembling a plot, anyhow. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the final installment of this story!_

_Still spoilers for Threads.

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_

_Previously..._

"Come on, let's get you out of this rain."

Sam nodded in agreement so Jack slipped a protective arm around her shoulders and together they braved the full onslaught of the drenching rain, heading straight for Jack's truck.

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Chapter 3

Safe in the dry interior of the truck, Sam settled into the passenger's seat and fastened her seat belt as Jack started the engine. She leaned back with a sigh, resting her head against the seat. Jack turned on the heater and Sam closed her eyes, grateful for the warm air now starting to drive away the worst of the chill.

She felt much more relaxed now. All her pent-up grief had spilled out of her as Jack held her in the park, leaving her feeling drained but oddly calm. Relieved even. She was still sad, still mourning, but no longer in the same uncontrollable and frightening way. And Jack's continued presence in the driver's seat beside her filled her with a welcome sense of security and tranquility.

As Jack maneuvered the truck away from the curb and out into the street, Sam let herself drift into a blissful, groggy half awareness. All thought slipped away as she willingly gave in to the pleasant fogginess that was creeping through her. She let herself bask in this comforting nothingness until the touch of Jack's hand on her arm pulled her back to the world around her.

"Sam?"

She opened her eyes and blinked groggily. She didn't think she'd fallen asleep, she could've sworn they'd left the park only moments ago, but here they were already parked out front of her house. She sat up, trying to bring herself more fully awake.

"I guess I dozed off," she said with surprise, stifling a yawn.

"Ya think?" Jack's tone was affectionately teasing and Sam couldn't help but smile.

The smile only lasted a moment though, slipping away as she turned to look out at her house where blank, unlit windows stared back at her, utterly uninviting. Reluctantly, Sam unbuckled her seat belt and let it slither away from her. She put a hand on the door, but couldn't bring herself to move any further.

She was calmer now, no longer in danger of collapsing into a pile of emotional wreckage, but she still didn't want to be on her own. She still wanted Jack close, but she wasn't sure she could tell him that. She wasn't even sure if she should.

"I guess you're off to Daniel's now." Okay, so she was going for indirect. Probably not the best way to get the result she wanted.

"That depends."

She turned her eyes to his, hope flickering within her once more.

"I can stay or leave, or we can both go to Daniel's," he clarified. "Whatever you want."

Sam knew what she wanted, or perhaps more what she didn't want. If only she could tell him... She turned and stared out the window for a moment, gathering her courage. Then she took a deep breath and forced herself to say what she felt, what she wanted him to know.

"I don't want to be alone."

As soon as the almost-whispered words were out of her mouth, Sam felt unnervingly vulnerable and began to regret having spoken. But the regret was smothered in an instant as she felt Jack's warm hand close over her still-cold one.

"You don't have to be." His voice was as warm as his touch and it automatically drew her eyes back to his.

Sam let his fingers intertwine with her own and gave them a gentle, grateful squeeze. She glanced once more at her dark house and came to a quick decision.

"Let's go to Daniel's."

"You sure?" Jack asked.

Sam nodded. She was sure. Somehow it just felt like the right thing to do.

"All right. I'll call the guys and tell them to go ahead and order the food. But in the meantime, you need to have yourself a hot shower and get some dry clothes on before we have to change your name to Colonel Popsicle."

Sam's smile returned, fully this time, and Jack grinned back at her. He gave her hand a final, quick squeeze before releasing it and nodding toward her house.

"Come on, let's get you inside."

This time Sam opened her door without hesitation, knowing Jack would be right behind her as she dashed through the rain and up to her front porch.

OoOoOoOoOoO

One hot shower and one set of luxuriously warm, dry clothes later, Sam had returned to the truck with Jack for the drive over to meet Daniel and Teal'c. Her head was much clearer now and as they drove along in a comfortable silence, Sam reflected on how lucky she was to have Jack in her life. And Daniel. And Teal'c.

Smiling slightly to herself, Sam turned her head to look at the man beside her. She had to admit, the view over this way was a lot better than the one out the rain-splattered window. A hell of a lot better.

As Sam continued to watch him, Jack glanced over, catching her eyes on him. He must have read something in her face because he sent an amusedly suspicious look her way.

"What?" he asked.

"It's nothing," Sam replied, the smile still on her face. "I was just thinking."

"About?"

"You," she replied simply.

"Oh?" He raised his eyebrows, interested. "Should I be worried?"

Sam felt her smile spread across her face. "No, sir."

Now he was smiling too. "Good."

They exchanged smiles for a brief but somehow very sincere moment before Jack shifted his eyes back to the road and they settled into a comfortable silence once again. Turning her gaze to the window, Sam saw that the rain was letting up slightly and she realized then that her heart was feeling lighter than it had for many days.

OoOoOoOoOoO

"Hey, Jack, Sam. Come on in." Daniel's welcome was casual, but Sam didn't miss the inquiring look he sent Jack's way while standing back so they could pass through into his apartment. "Everything okay?"

The question was also directed at Jack, but the archeologist's eyes swept quickly over Sam as though he were searching for missing pieces of a mental puzzle.

"Everything's fine, Daniel," Jack replied, his tone clearly suggesting he thought Daniel worried too much.

However, Daniel obviously wasn't convinced by Jack's response because he then turned to Sam, concern evident in his eyes. "Sam?"

"I'm fine, Daniel," she said, giving him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "Really."

Seeing the lingering look of concern in the archeologist's eyes, Sam was filled with a sudden rush of affection for her teammates. Unable to help herself, Sam impulsively threw her arms around Daniel and hugged him tightly. She must have surprised him, because it took him a moment to return the hug, but when he did he did so warmly. She pulled back a moment later with a smile on her face, only to find Daniel looking more concerned than ever and a little puzzled as well.

"Are you sure everything's okay?" he asked quietly.

She gave his arm a quick squeeze, grinning. "Can't I be glad to see you guys?" she asked, turning to give Teal'c a peck on the cheek.

"Um... sure..." Daniel trailed off behind her, slightly baffled.

With a smile, Teal'c inclined his head toward Sam. "Colonel Carter, I am glad you decided to join us this evening."

Sam returned his smile, genuinely, and was able to reply with complete honesty, "So am I, Teal'c."

OoOoOoOoOoO

As soon as they arrived at Daniel's apartment, Jack knew it was a good thing that Sam had decided to come along. Maybe it was the distraction of having other people around, or the comfort that came with being surrounded by those closest and most dear to her, but Jack definitely noticed a positive change in Sam.

In the one evening he saw her smile more times than he had in the past two weeks and a light had returned to her eyes that had been missing for some time now. Although Jack knew Sam was still grieving, and would be for some time to come, at least she no longer seemed to be drowning in her despair.

When they first arrived, Jack quickly brushed off Daniel's concerned inquiry. He kept his tone and his actions casual, shrugging out of his jacket and immediately making himself at home on the couch.

To be fair, Jack knew there had been reason for Daniel to worry with the way he'd dashed out after his phone conversation with Sam, but at the same time he didn't want to draw any extra attention to Sam or what she'd been going through. He didn't want her to have to talk about anything she didn't want to talk about, didn't want her to have to answer too many questions.

Jack watched as Sam gave Daniel a spontaneous hug, and almost laughed at the befuddled look on his face after she turned her attention to Teal'c. It was clear that Daniel was still trying to puzzle out what had occurred during Jack's absence.

Suddenly feeling a bit sorry for the guy, Jack decided to be kind and put him out of his misery by distracting him. "Yo, Daniel!" he hollered at him from over on the couch.

Daniel turned toward him, not exactly looking thrilled by the booming summons. "Yes, Jack?"

Oooh. He almost had him gritting his teeth. Jack grinned, feeling smugly satisfied with the reaction.

"Whaddaya say we get this show on the road?" Jack gestured expectantly at the TV and the cartons of take-out food waiting on the coffee table.

"Ah... right." Daniel turned to Sam and Teal'c, who were standing in the kitchen. "Drinks are in the fridge, guys." Then he picked up a DVD and set about cueing up the movie.

Jack heard the fridge open and close in the kitchen and soon after Sam and Teal'c appeared in the living room, beverages in hand. Without hesitation, Sam came over to join Jack on the couch, a beer in one hand and a diet soda in the other. Keeping the soda for herself, she handed him the beer.

"Thanks, Carter," he said as she settled in beside him.

"You're welcome, sir."

And then they exchanged a look. Funny how they could always say so much to each other without speaking a single word. Which was fine with Jack, really, since using words to express his feelings wasn't exactly one of his strong points. But still, the intensity of the messages and the depth of the emotions that could pass between them with one simple look was sometimes staggering and often breathtaking.

This time it was a look of understanding. Even though they may have returned to using their "Carter"s and their "sir"s, they were there, sitting side-by-side, as friends. Friends with an undercurrent of something deeper. And with that knowledge, they shared brief, subtle smiles before Daniel started chattering away to Teal'c, reminding them that they weren't the only ones in the room.

Feeling oddly pleased, Jack popped the top off his beer and began helping himself to some food.

OoOoOoOoOoO

They were a good hour into the movie when Jack finally gave up trying to follow the plot. He had no idea what was going on, probably because he hadn't been paying much attention after the first five or ten minutes. And, he realized, he really didn't care what was happening on the screen. He was much more interested in the real-life person sitting beside him on Daniel's couch. And she didn't seem to be very engrossed in the movie either. In fact, she appeared to be falling asleep.

He watched out of the corner of his eye as Sam fought an increasingly losing battle with her drooping eyelids. Every now and then her head threatened to loll to the side but she managed to rouse herself enough to stop it just in time.

Jack couldn't help but smile to himself at the sight. A half-asleep Carter was a cute Carter. Okay, so he couldn't really think of a time when she wasn't cute, but that was beside the point.

As Sam reached a hand up to her mouth to stifle a yawn, Jack felt his mood sober as his thoughts returned to the state he'd found her in earlier that evening. Of course she was tired after the emotional wringer she'd been through. It was a wonder she hadn't collapsed earlier out of sheer exhaustion.

Remembering the desperate way she'd clung to him such a short while ago, Jack felt a sudden urge to hold her in his arms again, to have her close. The problem was, they were no longer alone and pulling Sam into a full-out snuggling hug might just draw some unwanted attention from the boys. He could, however, compromise...

So instead of reaching out and initiating contact himself, Jack stretched one arm out along the back of the couch, letting it rest there in an unspoken invitation.

Despite her groggy state, Sam didn't miss the movement, nor did she fail to receive the message he was sending. Glancing up, she sent him a silent thank you with her eyes before leaning in toward him, letting her head rest upon his shoulder.

Glad that she'd understood him, and even happier that she'd taken him up on his offer, Jack slipped his arm off the back of the couch and let it rest protectively around Sam's shoulders. He began moving his thumb idly up and down against her arm and felt her sigh up against him. Jack looked down at her blonde head and felt a strange mixture of emotions. He felt contentment mixed with sadness, peace blended with concern. And beyond that, something so deep it both thrilled and scared him at the same time. But at the moment, his concern for her seemed to be at the forefront.

Yes, Sam seemed to be doing better now, but Jack hoped it wasn't just a temporary improvement. He knew she would have more rough days ahead of her and could only hope that she wouldn't slip back into the firm grip of despair that she'd been in today, that she wouldn't allow things to get so bad next time before turning to him for help.

Just in case though, Jack was planning to keep a more careful eye on her in the near future. And he was going to make sure that she felt his presence whenever she needed it. He wanted her to know that he was there for her, that she could turn to him for comfort and support anytime. And he wanted her to understand that she didn't have to feel ashamed or scared or alone. Because as long as he, Jack O'Neill, was still alive somewhere in this universe, he would always be there for her. That was a promise.

OoOoOoOoOoO

As glad as Sam was that she had decided to come to Daniel's instead of staying at home, she was relieved when the movie started. Her mind was starting to feel sluggish again, making conversation something she just wasn't up to at the moment. She managed to eat only a little food, but the guys pretended not to notice her lack of appetite and she was grateful for that.

After all, food and conversation weren't the reasons that had compelled her to come to Daniel's apartment. Familiar company and the comfort that came with it were what had motivated her decision. And now she had those things. And of course, there was Jack sitting close beside her, comforting her with his mere presence in a way that only he could.

The movie played on, but Sam couldn't focus on it. She didn't really try, to be honest. The dialogue, music, and sound effects all seemed to fade away into the distance as sleep began tugging persistently at her mind and body. She was tired, wiped out, yet she kept fighting to stay awake. Although admittedly with less and less vigor as time when on.

She attempted to smother an escaping yawn without much success and felt the heaviness of her eyelids increase even further. It was then that Sam half felt and half saw Jack slip his arm along the couch behind her. Without even thinking about it, she knew the act had been deliberate. She looked up and their eyes met for an instant before she sank gratefully into his side, feeling his arm come down to settle around her shoulders.

As Jack's thumb began moving soothingly up and down her arm, Sam sighed and nestled closer to him, drawing great comfort from his touch, his nearness. With her eyes half closed, Sam let her gaze wander around the room, taking in the sight of Daniel and Teal'c and feeling another rush of affection for them as she had earlier. She'd lost her father and she knew the pain of that loss wouldn't leave her anytime soon, but at least she wasn't alone. She was, in this moment, surrounded by family, and that knowledge gave her both a sense of peace and strength.

With those thoughts, Sam allowed her eyes to close completely. She focused on the feel of Jack's arm around her, the feel of his thumb gently moving up and down against her arm, and as she did so her feeling of tranquility increased, enveloping her in a calming cocoon. Knowing she would be all right as long as she had her friends around her, as long as she had Jack in her life, Sam finally gave in to her ever-deepening fatigue. At long last, she allowed herself to drift off to sleep, warm and safe in Jack's embrace.

The End.


End file.
